Ted McNeel Sr., a retired Marine Corps major, said today he is dropping out of the race for the 4th District seat on the Jefferson Parish Council.

"I decided after giving in careful consideration, I didn't have a ghost of a chance," he said. "Why should I put myself through this?"

Had he stayed in the race, McNeel would have faced Kenner City Council members Michele Branigan and Ben Zahn, retired judge Kernan "Skip" Hand, political activist Walt Bennetti and Mildred Congemi, wife of incumbent Louis Congemi, on the Oct. 22 ballot.

McNeel, a Metairie resident, said the candidate pool's focus on Kenner, and that he wasn't affiliated with a political party, gave him a distinct disadvantage. All the other candidates are Republicans.

He said he sent his official withdrawal notice to the secretary of state's office today. And when he withdrew from the race, he did it at full stop.